The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
Like many songs recorded from 1960-70, the Staple Singers’ 1971 song “Respect Yourself” is very political in nature. The song focusses on the issues of racism, and contributed to the African American civil rights movement by persuading people to respect oneself and others.
“Respect Yourself” was wr...
[Verse 1]
If you disrespect anybody
That you run in to
How in the world do you think
Anybody's supposed to respect you?
If you don't give a heck 'bout the man
With the Bible in his hand
Just get out the way
And let the gentleman do his thing
You're the kind of gentleman
That want everything your way
Take the sheet off your face, boy
It's a brand new day
[Chorus]
Respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don't respect yourself
Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na, na, na, na
Respect yourself, respect yourself
[Verse 2]
If you're walking 'round
Thinkin' that the world
Owes you something
'Cause you're here
You're goin' out
The world backwards
Like you did
When you first come here
Keep talkin' 'bout the president
Won't stop air pollution
Put your hand on your mouth
When you cough, that'll help the solution
Oh, you cuss around women folk
And you don't even know their names
And you're dumb enough to think
That'll make you a big ol' man
[Chorus]
Respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don't respect yourself
Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na, na, na, na
Respect yourself, respect yourself
Respect yourself, respect yourself
Respect Yourself was written by Sir Mack Rice & Luther Ingram.
Respect Yourself was produced by Al Bell.
The Staple Singers released Respect Yourself on Fri Jan 01 1971.
In an interview with Marc Myers, Al Bell said,
One afternoon in early 1971, Mack Rice came by my office … Mack said, “Doc, I have a song I think will work on the Staple Singers.” He sat down with that guitar of his with three strings and began singing and playing a song he had written called “Respe...